In this episode of Explore, we visit Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley, where ancient crafts and their masters still thrive, their knowledge passed down from generation to generation.
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00:00Traditional crafts are a vital part of Uzbekistan's cultural heritage.
00:08For centuries, local artisans have passed their knowledge down to the next generations.
00:14The tradition has been preserved to this day.
00:18In the hands of modern craftsmen, history comes alive.
00:24I am in Uzbekistan's Namangan region in the Fergana Valley to explore local traditions of knife making and ceramics.
00:32I hope to learn from the masters and maybe I will uncover some secrets.
00:41My journey starts in the city of Chust.
00:44Here, since ancient times, knife makers known as Suzangars have created exquisitely beautiful knives or pichoks,
00:52renowned far beyond the region.
00:55I am here to meet Rahimjon Ubaidulayev, who represents a dynasty of Suzangars.
01:15A Suzangar has to perform 70 operations before a piece of metal turns into a knife.
01:23Traditional methods of hardening involve heating and cooling the blade multiple times.
01:44Historically, the Uzbek pichok has been a symbol of status, often associated with local traditions and ceremonies.
01:58Creating a handle is an art in itself.
02:01Chust craftsmen traditionally use natural materials such as wood, bone or horn.
02:06The handles are often adorned with intricate designs or carvings.
02:11Rahimjon's well-crafted pichoks are highly prized by collectors and enthusiasts from abroad.
02:18We all have a name for our pichok.
02:21This is called Tolbargi.
02:23Tolbargi means that it has been used for 3,000 years.
02:26This is Sukhumi pichok.
02:28We call them Sadaf.
02:30Tolbargi means metal and Namaz.
02:33This pichok has been used for 100 years, 100 years, 200 years.
02:37There is no special name.
02:39My next destination is Rishtan.
02:41This city in Fergana Valley used to be the center of ceramics since ancient times.
02:47Alisher Nazirov, a Rishtan ceramics master, is one of the most renowned in Uzbekistan.
03:11The journey to mastery is long, spanning many years of dedication and practice.
03:16This is how the clay is prepared.
03:19Well, I have a try.
03:21It looks easy, but in fact it requires lots of strength and stability.
03:27This is a secret that our ancestors left for us.
03:30For making paints, as well as glazes, we use vegetation that grows in front of us.
03:37This technology is called Eshkorova.
03:39There are many secrets passed down through generations of masters.
03:44Firing at an extremely high temperature is a very important part of the process.
03:50Firing determines its strength and durability.
03:54We do it like this.
03:58In Rishtan, there are such plates that the great-grandfather, who ate pilaf,
04:02now eats his great-grandson.
04:04Four generations.
04:06Rishtan ceramics feature a unique choice of colors, with each piece being a work of art.
04:11The artist's choice while painting is rooted in tradition.
04:16It tells the story of Rishtan and the region where each symbol carries meaning.
04:21A story waiting to be told.
04:23Our paintings are based on the Islemi technique.
04:28Islemi is a plant of the Islemi region.
04:30Pomegranate is a symbol of fertility.
04:32Pepper is a symbol of abundance.
04:35Fish is a symbol of purity.
04:37I think there is a soul in every work.
04:44Uzbekistan's traditional ceramics, including those from Rishtan,
04:48are on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
04:51Now I have the chance to add a few strokes of my own to this living history.